Kick boring snacking to the curb with this healthy (and gorgeous!) Beet Hummus!

What does that even mean? In music, when someone yells “drop the beat” they mean turn up the bass – make something better and just feeeeeel it. But when we say “drop the beet” in the kitchen, we mean that it’s time to get serious about snacking on this Beet Hummus that’s so insanely delicious and gorgeous and packed with healthy ingredients like beets (obvi), garbanzo beans (aka chickpeas), and heart-healthy fats.

Why beets?

Because hellllloooooo fiber, folate, vitamin C and antioxidants that may help lower blood pressure, fight inflammation and improve athletic performance. And hello stunning red color and delicious, slightly sweet flavor that just so happens to make hummus even better.

Other benefits of beets include:

In-season during the winter months in North America

Budget-friendly

Keeps well in the refrigerator

Snack responsibly.

Lately, I’ve been talking to my kids a lot about “responsible snacking.” What I mean by that is that a snack should really be a small version of a meal rather than a sweet treat. It should also be comprised of fat, carbs, and protein for maximal satiation and nutrition. Bonus points for snacks that include vibrantly colored vegetables, fiber, and healthy fats.

I’d definitely put this Beet Hummus in the responsible snack category thanks to the fiber and protein from the chickpeas, garlic, and beets for the antioxidants and phytonutrients, and healthy fats from the tahini and algae oil.

Wait, algae oil? Yes, algae oil. It’s a thing. Our friends at Thrive Culinary Algae Oil have created a light, delicious oil that’s packed with monounsaturated fats which help maintain heart health. It’s perfect for this beet hummus because it really lets the subtle flavor of the beets shine and makes for some seriously responsible snacking when paired with your favorite veggies or crackers for dipping, dunking, and scooping.

You can learn more about Thrive Culinary Algae Oil, its nutrition profile and their focus on sustainability here.

If you’ve never made homemade hummus before, let me just say this: it’s about 50 times easier than you think and it’s considerably more budget-friendly than buying it in the store. Plus, you get to control the ingredients and flavors – like more garlic? Add more garlic. You can even get crazy and add in your favorite herbs or spices or sprinkle the whole mess with parsley, chopped pistachios, coarse sea salt and a generous drizzle of oil so that it’s the perfect snacking storm of creamy, salty, silky, and crunchy.

Dip ’em if you’ve got ’em!

Veggies are, of course, the perfect dipper for this Beet Hummus, but your favorite crackers or pretzels work equally well. It also makes a healthy and tasty spread for sandwiches and wraps, so get creative and tag us @therealfoodrds when you share your creations on Instagram and Facebook.

Instructions

With the food processor running, slowly drizzle remaining tablespoon of oil through the chute in the lid and blend until smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed.

If the hummus is too thick to blend at this point, stream in the reserved liquid from the beans one tablespoon at a time until your desired consistency is achieved.

Taste and season with salt to taste.

To serve, sprinkle with desired toppings and drizzle with additional oil if desired.

Store unused hummus in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Notes

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Nutrition

Serving Size:¼ cup

Calories:138

Sugar:1g

Sodium:155mg

Fat:10g

Carbohydrates:8g

Fiber:3g

Protein:4g

What’s your favorite way to “snack responsibly?” How do you sneak more nutrients into snack time? Share in the comments below!

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This post was made possible by our friends at Thrive Culinary Algae Oil. Although we received compensation for this post, the opinions expressed here are – as always – 100% our own. Thank you for supporting the great companies we work with thereby allowing us to continue creating great recipes and content for you.

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About Jessica Beacom

Jessica is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist living in Boulder, CO with her hubby and two daughters. She's been described as a 'real food evangelist' and loves sharing her knowledge with others to help them break free of the diet mentality and find their own food freedom. In her spare time she enjoys CrossFit, telemark skiing, mountain biking, teaching herself how to play the banjo and camping out under the stars.

Hello Jessica, I am a loyal follower of RDN. From a Keto point of view, what would you recommend to cut the carbs, regarding a bean replacement for this recipe? And any other ideas for this recipe to make it Keto? I love what you and Stacie do for folks like us. Best Wishes to you both! Charles

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The Real Food Dietitians is the passion-driven product of Registered Dietitian Nutritionists Stacie Hassing and Jessica Beacom. They’ve combined their love of nutrition, health and real food with the concepts of ease and convenience to bring you recipes that are big on flavor but short on ingredients.